What is happening in China?
According to official figures for 16 February, 100 people died from the virus in Hubei, the province at the centre of the epidemic. This was down from 139 on Saturday. A total of 1,933 new cases were also reported, nearly 5% higher than the previous day, ending three days of consecutive drops in new cases. The official number of cases in the province currently stands at 58,182, with 1,692 deaths. Most new cases and deaths have been reported in Wuhan, Hubei's largest city. Authorities are tightening curbs on movement to combat the outbreak. People in the province of 60 million have been ordered to stay at home, though they will be allowed to leave in an emergency. In addition, a single person from each household will be allowed to leave the building every three days to buy food and essential items. On housing estates, one entrance will be kept open. It will be guarded to ensure that only residents can enter or leave. All other businesses will stay closed, except chemists, hotels, food shops and medical services. There will be a ban on the use of private cars, but vehicles used for the delivery of essential goods are exempt. Media captionMedics in Wuhan resort to shaving their heads in a bid to prevent cross-infection of the coronavirus Meanwhile, authorities in the capital, Beijing, have ordered everyone returning to the city to go into quarantine for 14 days or risk punishment. China's central bank will also disinfect and store used banknotes before recirculating them in a bid to stop the virus spreading.What is the latest on cases?
On Sunday, the Chinese authorities reported 2,009 new cases - down from 2,641 on Saturday, and 5,090 the day before. New cases spiked earlier in the week after a change in the way they were counted but have been falling ever since. In total, more than 68,500 people have so far been infected in China. National Health Commission spokesman Mi Feng said the figures showed China was managing to curb the outbreak. "The effects of epidemic prevention and control in various parts of the country can already be seen." The commission's daily bulletin also reported 142 more deaths nationwide, the vast majority in Hubei. However Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that along with a drop in infections within Hubei there had been a rapid increase in the number of people who had recovered. The proportion of infected patients considered to be in a "serious condition" has dropped nationwide from more than 15% to just over 7%, according to China's State Council. Taiwan has now reported a death from the illness - a taxi driver, 61, who had not travelled abroad recently but had diabetes and hepatitis B, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said. The minister said many of his passengers had come from China. Outside China, there have been more than 500 cases in nearly 30 countries. Four others have died outside China - in France, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan. Meanwhile, a plane carrying 175 evacuated Nepalis, mostly students, has arrived in Kathmandu from Wuhan. It is the latest country to fly its citizens out of Hubei province. The virus is a new strain of coronavirus and causes an acute respiratory disease which has been named Covid-19.DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
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